6 Female Indie Artists You Should Be Listening to in 2016

Festival season is on the horizon, which means there’s a slew of cool new artists to get acquainted with before you dust off your flower crown and decamp to the desert. In case you’re unfamiliar with some of the third-tier names listed on the lineup—and some who are so under-the-radar, they aren’t even on them at all—we rounded up six female voices you should listen to ASAP, because girl power is a real thing.

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LÉON

Agrin Rahmani

If you like: Tove Lo

This 22-year-old Swedish vocalist is poised to become the next big thing—thanks in no small part to her rich, smoky vocals, showcased on anthemic tracks like “Tired of Talking” off her debut EP, Treasure. The song is so infectious, it garnered Twitter accolades from the likes of Katy Perry and Chloë Grace Moretz.

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CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS

DR

If you like: Grimes

With effortless androgynous style, perfectly tousled hair, and bold yet unassuming vocals, Héloïse Letissier, frontwoman of Christine and the Queens, is the definition of French girl cool. Her special brand of synth pop has already made her a sensation across the pond, and we expect a similar reaction when she takes the stage at Coachella, Boston Calling, and Governors Ball in the coming months.

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SUNFLOWER BEAN

Rebekah Campbell

If you like: Haim

The fashion world has already embraced Sunflower Bean singer and bassist Julia Cumming—a Saint Laurent muse—and now, she and her two bandmates, Jacob Faber and Nick Kivlen (a dead ringer for Bob Dylan), are making their mark on the festival circuit with their debut album, Human Ceremony, which features sweet melodies and swirling guitars.

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MEG MAC

Alex Reside for InStyle.com

If you like: Jessie Ware

In case you haven’t noticed, Australians have been dominating the charts as of late (see: Sia, Vance Joy), and we’re betting Melbourne-based singer Meg Mac is next in line. Though her five-song debut dropped Stateside last March, it’s still gaining traction—her soulful ballad “Roll Up Your Sleeves” recently played over the end credits of Girls, aka the ultimate indie achievement.

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BIRDY

Alex Reside for InStyle.com

If you like: Florence and the Machine

You may know this Brit singer from her breakthrough single—a chilling cover of Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love”—but her forthcoming album, Beautiful Lies (out March 25), takes her affected voice, set against sulky beats and guitar strums, to new heights.

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DAYA

If you like: Lorde

Similar to the New Zealand singer with a mop of curly hair, Daya (pronounced dey-uh) is a teenager with a voice beyond her years. You’ll hear her wildly elastic croon in full force on “Hide Away,” the chart-dropping single off her self-titled debut EP, Daya, which dropped last fall, and on The Chainsmokers’ just-released song, “Don’t Let Me Down.” Look out for her first LP due out later this year, too.